Butterfly Dream: Frat Initiation Haiku by Karen O’Leary

English Original

roasting freshmen
for a frat initiation ...
one dead

Karen O’Leary


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

為加入兄弟會
大一新生們遭折磨 ...
一人慘死

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

为加入兄弟会
大一新生们遭折磨 ...
一人惨死


Bio Sketch

Karen O’Leary is a writer and editor from West Fargo, ND. She has published poetry, short stories, and articles in a variety of venues including, Frogpond, A Hundred Gourds, bear creek haiku, Shemom, Creative Inspirations and NeverEnding Story. She edited an international online journal called Whispers  for 5 ½ years. She enjoys sharing the gift of words.

One Man's Maple Moon: Same Sunny Spot Tanka by Aya Yuhki

English Original

my dog and wild pigeons
share the same sunny spot
a day
when I am grieving
over racial conflict

Gusts, 4, Fall/Winter 2006

Aya Yuhki


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

這一天
當我為種族衝突
而悲傷時
我的狗和一群野鴿
共享一塊陽光普及之處

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

这一天
当我为种族冲突
而悲伤时
我的狗和一群野鸽
共享一块阳光普及之处 


Bio Sketch

Aya Yuhki was born and now lives in Tokyo. She started writing tanka more than thirty years ago and has expanded her interests to include free verse poetry, essay writing, and literary criticism. Aya Yuhki is Editor-in-Chief of The Tanka Journal published by the Japan Poets’ Society. Her works are featured on the homepage of the Japan Pen Club’s Electronic Library.

One Man's Maple Moon: Red-Tailed Hawk Tanka by Marilyn Fleming

English Original

red-tailed hawk
on a string
running
I feel a lift
and find my wings

Ribbons, 13:2, Fall 2017

Marilyn Fleming


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

一隻紅尾鷹
綁在一根繩子上
飛跑起來
我感覺被高舉
並發現我有翅膀

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

一只红尾鹰
绑在一根绳子上
飞跑起来
我感觉被高举
并发现我有翅膀 


Bio Sketch

Marilyn Fleming is a Wisconsin short form poet and sumi-e haiga artist. Her special interests are Asian forms of poetry (haiku tanka and haibun.) She is widely published in US as well as internationally.  To see some of her recent work, visit  her website or follow her on twitter: @mflem9811

Butterfly Dream: After Dark Haiku by Dave Read

English Original

rustling leaves
the sound of children
after dark

Wild Plum, Fall 2016

Dave Read


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

樹葉沙沙作響
天黑後一群孩子們
的聲音

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

树叶沙沙作响
天黑后一群孩子们
的声音


Bio Sketch

Dave Read is a Canadian poet living in Calgary.  He writes short poems with an emphasis on the Japanese genres of haiku, senryu, tanka, and haibun.  His work has been published in many journals, including dust devils: The Red Moon Anthology of English-Language Haiku 2016.  You can visit his blog, davereadpoetry.blogspot.ca.

One Man's Maple Moon: Anchored Ship Tanka by Marilyn Humbert

English Original

I sway
with the tide
an anchored ship
knowing the length
of my tether

Ribbons, 13:1 Winter 2017

Marilyn Humbert


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

我隨著浪潮
而搖擺
一艘定錨的船
知道我的繫繩
的長度

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

我随着浪潮
而摇摆
一艘定锚的船
知道我的系绳
的长度


Bio Sketch

Marilyn Humbert lives in the Northern Suburbs of Sydney NSW surrounded by bush. Her pastimes include writing free verse poetry, tanka, tanka prose and related genre. She is the leader of Bottlebrush Tanka Group and member of the Huddle and Bowerbird Tanka Groups. Her tanka appears in Australian and international journals.

Butterfly Dream: Letting Go Haiku by Marian Olson

English Original

stars
               before letting go
letting go

Desert Hours, 2007

Marian Olson


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

星光燦爛
                在放手之前
就已放手

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

星光灿烂
                在放手之前
就已放手 


Bio Sketch

Marian Olson, non-fiction writer and widely published international poet, was the author of nine books of poetry, including the award winning haiku in Songs of the Chicken Yard, Desert Hours, Consider This, and Moondance.  Published in 2017, The Other and Kaleidoscope were her first books of tanka.

A Room of My Own: Struggle against Noise and Silence Tanka

she turns up the TV
while I drown my anger
in whiskey ...
our struggle against each other
against our noise and silence

Butterfly Dream: Twilight Chill Haiku by H. Gene Murtha

English Original

fishing
where my brother stood --
twilight chill

The Heron’s Nest, 8:3, September, 2006

H. Gene Murtha


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

站在我哥哥過去所在之處
釣魚 --
暮色的寒意

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

站在我哥哥过去所在之处
钓鱼 --
暮色的寒意 


Bio Sketch

H. Gene Murtha, a naturalist and poet, sponsored and judged the first haiku contest for the inner city children of Camden, NJ., for the Virgilio Group, of which he was a lifetime member. He was widely published for his work in haikai literature from the USA to Japan.

One Man's Maple Moon: Grieving Tanka by Richard St. Clair

English Original

refuge at home
in a steady cold rain
puddles everywhere
and the sky growing dark
as if it knew my grieving

Atlas Poetica, 17, Spring 2014

Richard St. Clair


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

避難在家
一場源源不斷的冰冷大雨
到處都是水坑
而天空漸漸變暗
好像它知道我的悲傷

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

避难在家
一场源源不断的冰冷大雨
到处都是水坑
而天空渐渐变暗
好像它知道我的悲伤 


Bio Sketch

Richard St. Clair (b.1946), in addition to an accomplished poet, is a recognized composer of modern classical music, performed widely. His poems -- not only haiku but also tanka and Western forms such as sonnet -- have appeared in many important venues. He is a Shin Buddhist in Massachusetts, USA.

Butterfly Dream: Mackerel Clouds Haiku by Angelee Deodhar

English Original

mackerel clouds
deep into a red hibiscus
the sunbird

Mann Library’s Daily Haiku, May 29th, 2013

Angelee Deodhar


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

高積雲
一隻太陽鳥深入
一朵紅芙蓉

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

高积云
一只太阳鸟深入
一朵红芙蓉


Bio Sketch

Angelee Deodhar of Chandigarh (India) was an eye surgeon by profession as well as a haiku poet, translator, and artist. Her haiku/haiga had been published internationally .She didn't have her own website.To promote haiku in India, she had translated six books of haiku from English to Hindi.

One Man's Maple Moon: Cruise Tanka by Keitha Keyes

English Original

on our cruise
some people eat dinner
at the first sitting --
we opt instead
for a cocktail of sunsets

red lights, June 2017

Keitha Keyes


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

在遊輪上
有些人一找到座位
就坐下吃晚飯 --
我們選擇享受
雞尾酒般的日落美景

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

在游轮上
有些人一找到座位
就坐下吃晚饭 --
我们选择享受
鸡尾酒般的日落美景


Bio Sketch

Keitha Keyes lives in Sydney, Australia in a small house decorated with ship models, antique irons and trivets. And a cocker spaniel. Her retirement would be very empty without the lure of writing tanka, haiku, cherita and other poetry.

Butterfly Dream: Monologue Haiku by Fay Aoyagi

English Original

monologue
of the deep sea fish
misty stars

Modern Haiku, 33:3, Autumn 2002

Fay Aoyagi


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

一條深海魚
的獨白
朦朧的星辰

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

一条深海鱼
的独白
朦胧的星辰


Bio Sketch

Fay Aoyagi （青柳飛）was born in Tokyo and immigrated to the U.S. in 1982. She is currently a member of Haiku Society of America and Haiku Poets of Northern California. She serves as an associate editor of The Heron's Nest.  She also writes in Japanese and belongs to two Japanese haiku groups; Ten'I (天為) and "Aki"（秋), and  she is a member of Haijin Kyokai (俳人協会).

One Man's Maple Moon: Falling Bombs Tanka by Giddy Nielsen-Sweep

English Original

one child
sits alone weeping
for a mother
the falling bombs
will kill twice

Giddy Nielsen-Sweep


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

一個小孩獨自坐著
為失去母親
而哭泣
落下的炸彈
將會殺死他兩次

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

一个小孩独自坐着
为失去母亲
而哭泣
落下的炸弹
将会杀死他两次


Bio Sketch

Retiring from nursing for health reasons Giddy Nielsen-Sweep explored writing techniques for ten years, developing a love of Japanese poetry. She writes tanka, haiku, haibun and tanka prose. Her haiku have been published in A Hundred Gourds. Now she is beginning to write more tanka.  '

Butterfly Dream: Graffiti Haiku by Rachel Sutcliffe

English Original

inner city building
a canvas of honeysuckle
climbs the graffiti

tinywords, 15:1, March 13, 2015

Rachel Sutcliffe


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

市區中心的大樓
一大片畫布般的金銀花
爬向牆壁上的塗鴉

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

市区中心的大楼
一大片画布般的金银花
爬向墙壁上的涂鸦


Bio Sketch

Rachel Sutcliffe had suffered from a serious immune disorder for over 16 years; throughout  this time writing had been her therapy, and it kept her from going insane! She was an active member of the British Haiku Society and had been published in various journals including  Prune Juice, Failed Haiku and Hedgerow.

A Room of My Own: Red Balloon Tanka

nose prints
on the classroom window ...
a red balloon
lost to the cloudless sky
on the first day of school